One way to improve the production efficiency of carbon-carbon composite materials is the development of processes which take advantage of the benefits of pitch matrix precursors. The main advantages of pitch matrices reside in their high carbon content (90% and more), relatively short process steps, as well as specific material properties resulting from their high graphitizability, which provide high thermal conductivity, density and good friction and wear performance.
It is highly desirable to provide rapidly a preform or composite with high density (1.2 g/cm.sup.3 and above) prior to densification by conventional precursor carbon methods: carbon vapor deposition or densification ("CVD") and also called carbon vapor infiltration ("CVI"), pitch or resin and their combinations.